If you had the calling to become a yoga instructor then you most likely have something special to offer your students. Whether you are adept at the physical practice of yoga or are talented at inspiring your students spiritually, there are many things you can do to increase your excellence as a yoga instructor.
Take other yoga classes or attend continuing education workshops. Many yoga instructors get in a routine of teaching several classes a week and often neglect taking classes themselves. Making time in your schedule to practice yoga with other teachers will give you new ideas and fresh material as well as allow you to reap the benefits of a nurturing yoga class. Remember that it is not the same to do yoga while you teach a class as it is to be able to be fully present while taking a class guided by another instructor.
Create a nurturing, relaxing atmosphere in your class. Use candles, low lights, and soothing music. Arrange your music playlist so that it begins with a song geared towards getting centered and quieting the mind. End it with a relaxing, meditative tune for savasana. You can also make it interesting by playing contemporary music from time to time. Eliminate any distractions you may foresee before the class begins.
Welcome new students who come to your class. Starting a yoga class for the first time may be scary and newcomers will want to be reassured. Introduce yourself to them and ask them if they have any specific health conditions that you should know about. Make sure that they have a proper mat and offer them any props you think they may need.
Offer yoga props. Many yoga centers are equipped with yoga props but if not you can bring your own. Some good props to have on hand are blocks, ties and folded blankets. As a nice touch you can have a basket of eye pillows to hand out during savasana. To make them sanitary you can offer a kleenex to put between the eyes and the pillow.
Ask the students if there is anything they would like to work on specifically. Many people come to class because of specific aches and pains such as a stiff neck or tight hips. You can tailor the class to working on specific poses and exercises for whatever the class has requested.
For an all-level class, teach at the intermediate level and offer modifications for beginners or challenges for more advanced students. If the class is attended by both beginners and advanced students you need to make it manageable for beginners yet still challenging enough for the others. Sometimes a more advanced student will know how to make the pose more challenging and just do it without your instruction. To keep the class interesting from week to week you can introduce one new pose or variation of a pose each class.
Learn how to flow the poses so that one pose can easily be done after the next. As an instructor you can feel which pose feels natural to do after another. Be sure to counterpose such as doing child pose after a backbend. You may also want to organize your poses so that you do the first sequence seated, the next standing and the last supine, rather than going up and down from the floor.
Create a class focused on one body part or one set of poses. For example, you can focus the class on hip openers or backbends. Start your class with warmups that will lubricate the joints around that specific body part. Then do a progressive set of poses that will accomplish your goals.
Tune into the energy of your students and be present for them. Just before you begin to speak make eye contact with your students and notice who is in the class. You may be able to sense whether you can lead a stronger class or a more relaxing class just by doing this. Leave your ego out of your presentation and notice who may need assistance during the class.
Assist students into the poses. If you are trained in assisting then you can coax people into deeper stretches than they would normally be able to do on their own. When approaching students to assist them it is advisable to ask them permission first. One way to do this is to ask, "may I help you in this pose," before you start to touch them.
Use a nurturing voice and speak minimally. A soft, earthy tone in your voice will aid in creating a meditative experience for your students. Likewise, talking less creates less distraction for students who are learning to be present and stay in the moment. The student can then learn to listen to their bodies and feel the mind-body connection.
Close the class with an inspiration and be available after class to answer questions. Whether you end your class with a chant or an inspiring quote, the way you close the class will allow your students to leave feeling extra good about taking your class. You may want to invite your students to come up to you when class has ended with any comments, concerns or questions.
Leave your ego out of it. It does not matter if you can stand on your head, balance on your arms or even if some of your students are more flexible than you. There are many styles of teaching yoga and some students will love you and others will not. Remember that you can't make everyone happy and the students that are meant to benefit from you will be attracted to your class. If you have the desire to teach classes then you have something to offer your students mentally, physically, and/or spiritually.
Teaching yoga is rewarding. Visit dancenyoga.com/become_a_yoga_instructor.html become a yoga instructor to learn more about it. This dancenyoga.com/free_yoga_video.html free yoga video has a nice basic sequence to practice yoga at home.
S. McRee is a yoga instructor and group fitness instructor who loves to educate and inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle.
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